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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. net — after costs
  4. row — a line
  5. face — to confront
  6. fine — high quality
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rest — a break
  9. row — to paddle
  10. face — part of the head
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. net — for catching
  13. rest — what's left
  14. face — to point toward
  15. fine — all right
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. charge — a price
  19. net — in sport
  20. rest — what's left
  21. charge — in control
  22. vault — a safe
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com